How To Build A Seafood Tower

You'll need:

A 3-tiered serving stand Crushed ice Kosher salt Decorative seaweed (optional, ask your fishmonger) Whole lemons, plus 2 tablespoons of lemon juice 6 stone crab claws 1 1/2 pounds of shelled, deveined jumbo shrimp (about 20) A dozen each: oysters and Littleneck or Cherrystone clams, scrubbed Assorted accoutrements like mignonette, cocktail sauce and clarified butter

Fill a 3-gallon stockpot with 2 1/2 gallons of cold water. Add 1/4 cup of kosher salt, 1 cup of dry white wine and 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bring the water to a boil, reduce to a vigorous simmer and add the stone crab claws to the pot. Boil for 7-8 minutes, then transfer to an ice-water bath and allow the water to return to a boil. Replenish ice as needed. Add shrimp to the boiling water and cook the shrimp until just opaque. Transfer the shrimp to the ice bath. Blanch 20 mussels just till they open, for a minute or so. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside. Place the stone crab, shrimp and mussels in the refrigerator to chill for one hour. Fill the trays of the 3-tiered seafood tower with crushed ice and arrange seaweed if using on top. Shuck a dozen oysters and a dozen clams, taking care not spill the shellfish liquid or "liquor" contained in the shells, and arrange them first around the edge of the bottom tray. Place the clams and mussels inside the circle of oysters, making a second circle. Place the shrimp and crab claws on the second tier, then place lemon wedges and ramekins or small dishes of sauce in the center of the top tray. If there's room, you can also include a tartare or ceviche, or even a small caviar set-up.

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